Residents ask City Council to make neighborhood streets safer

(by Bora Kim, WCNC)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Citizens voiced their concerns about street safety at Tuesday's citizen's forum at the government center.

Jordan Moore is the bicycle programs director for the non-profit group, Sustain Charlotte. The group is advocating for a safer street by urging the city to consider making improvements to street infrastructure.

Moore says more than 500 people signed the online petition asking the city to make specific changes to Parkwood Avenue and The Plaza, by putting the area on a "road diet."

"The road diet is a wonky industry term that says to take a portion of the road as it exists, don't expand it, but use the space that is there and re-allocate it so you have committed lanes for all modes of transportation: automobile, cycle and pedestrians."

The plan calls for an east-west bicycle connection, and an extra safety buffer for pedestrians.